Aug 21, 2005 11:09 AM
3546 Views
(Updated Sep 02, 2005 05:53 PM)
HERO HONDA CBZ
List price (ex-showroom, Mumbai) Rs 54,100-59,600
Top speed 113kph
0-60kph 5.31sec
Kpl 53.0 (overall)
For Ride, handling, performance.
Against Low mileage, potential running costs, poor switchgear.
CBZ is sleek and sporty, the most classically styled of the trio. This is a comfortable bike, and we particularly liked the design of the knee recesses on the fuel tank — the only ones here really capable of accommodating the taller rider. The riding position is sporty, with rear-set footrests, and a forward riding stance. Where the CBZ loses out is in the quality of its switchgear, the action and feel of which are below par for the segment, and — we know this from experience — does not last too long. Unlike the others, the CBZ does not have an aircraft-style fuel filler cap, mounted flush on the fuel taIf a bike is to be a fun ride, it needs a well-sorted chassis, and the CBZ has just that. An excellent set-up makes the perfect compromise between sharp handling and a comfortable ride. Plus, the rear tyre —widest of the three here — gives it grip of a kind simply unavailable on the others. Take the CBZ off the leash on a snaking road, and neither the Bajaj nor the F2 will see which way it went. Chassis flex is minimal and stability is impressive too: were we heading for the racetrack, the CBZ is the bike we’d take along. Its brakes were the strongest as well, bringing the bike to a halt from 60kph in 16.3 metres; the other two were not far behind, so close as makes no difference. This isn’t a shock, however, as all three had identical brake set-ups: 240mm discs in front, and 130mm drums at the rear. The F2 and Pulsar are also available with 130mm front drum brakesnk.This is the flip side of the CBZ’s stellar performance: its fuel efficiency is the worst here, and by quite a margin. Hero Honda’s odd choice of a slide-type carb is shown up here; possibly, the thick rear tyre is another culprit: mileage is only 49.8kpl in the city, and 56.3kpl on the highway.
The CBZ’s size advantage is clear: neither the TVS nor the Bajaj can match the 156.6cc, 12.62bhp engine along the straights; 0-60kph comes in 5.31s, nearly a second less than the others. Power is healthy throughout the rev band, and is delivered in a pleasing, linear manner. The bike has a lovely, sporty gearbox; using its one-down/four-up shift is a lot more fun than the all-down ’boxes of the other two. The gearing makes the bike incredibly flexible: in top gear, it can go from 30kph right up to its top speed, 113kph. Still, H-H hasn’t got the plot quite right: the exhaust note was strangely muted and unhealthy, and the engine vibrated disturbingly between 5000-5500rpm. The CBZ has a slide-type carburettor, unlike the more modern CV-type carbs on the other bikes: this may cause the bike’s performance to vary according to conditions. The spongy clutch was another low point; a more rigid cable holder where the cable meets the actuating lever would have helped.
